Microsoft Declutters Windows 11 Search, Removes Ads and Web Results
Microsoft is testing a redesigned Windows 11 search interface that eliminates sponsored suggestions and allows users to disable web and Store results entirely, focusing on local content.
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Microsoft is rolling out a cleaned-up version of the Windows 11 search menu to Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel, the company announced in a blog post on July 13, 2026. The overhaul removes sponsored suggestions and promotional tiles from the search results page, addressing long-standing criticism about clutter.
The new search homescreen displays only recent searches, ditching the right-pane widgets that previously showed MSN content, the image of the day, quizzes, trending searches, and game recommendations. Web results are also streamlined: instead of showing "related products and promotions," the system now surfaces the "most relevant answer" first, according to Microsoft.
Users gain more control over what appears in search. The settings menu now offers an option to completely disable web results and Microsoft Store suggestions, leaving only local files, apps, settings, and documents. Even when web results are enabled, local content is prioritized if it matches the query better. For example, searching for installed apps now directs users directly to the app list in Settings rather than a web support document.
Microsoft says the updated search also improves result clarity by displaying metadata and file previews in the right pane, making it easier to identify the source of each result. The system is more forgiving of typos, extra letters, and partial words, and includes performance improvements.
The new search experience is being delivered as a controlled rollout in the Experimental channel of the Windows Insider Program. It can also be enabled via the feature toggle, Microsoft notes. However, the feature had not yet appeared on the test system of one German publication as of the announcement.
This search cleanup is part of Microsoft's broader effort to refresh Windows 11, following similar changes to the Start menu and taskbar aimed at reducing extraneous content and focusing on user control.